The Affair to Remember annual gala Feb. 21 at the Buckhead home of Elizabeth and Andy Ausband will mark the 14th year for dedicated volunteers to create a beautiful social evening to benefit the purposeful Alzheimer’s Society of Atlanta.

Delicious cuisine for the evening will be created by Scott Ardolino, owner of Affairs to Remember Caterers. Ardolino was one of the original founders of the event and gave his company’s name to the annual fundraiser featuring inviting and elegant home settings and exceptional dining.

The 2013 event chair is Anna Godwin. Sara Ann Vaughan is the society’s current president. Launched in 1998 by committed Northsiders Sarah Clarke and Sarah Kennedy and a cadre of 155 founding members, the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Society of Atlanta has become a mainstay of support for local Alzheimer’s programs.

Annual fundraising efforts help provide financial and emotional assistance to patients, their families and caregivers while supporting Emory University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Tickets and information: (404) 775-6165.

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If you are a woman eager to find a job or move up in business and need that extra push to be ready with a meaningful resume and information about interviews and searches, sign on to the free job/career readiness workshops Feb. 20 through March 12 offered by the Atlanta-based JumpSTART Your Career program. The new series will be held at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Midtown.

Scheduled for Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., each session will match the woman’s skills, interests and abilities to compatible career opportunities through self-discovery and communication skills.

She will write an effective resume, research potential employers and prepare for interviews. This year marks the seventh anniversary for JumpSTART’s successful programs. The free sessions funded by the nonprofit Alexandra Surdyk Jones Foundation have given aid, support and inspiration to women challenged to find a first job or facing re-entry into the work force.

JumpSTART was created in 2006 in memory of the 31-year-old businesswoman. Family and friend volunteers partnered with community centers and churches to provide classroom facilities for the series centered on business-readiness.

Based on six two-hour, weekly sessions, the program has offered more than 40 free workshops as well online classes, and served 800 women of all ages in a supportive and caring atmosphere with the mission to empower them to achieve personal and career goals.

A royal-themed “Amuse’um Crowns & Cupcakes-Birthday Jubilee” Feb. 23 will be a fun-filled adult evening take-off on Queen Elizabeth’s British celebration for the annual fundraiser at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta downtown.

Transformed into a whimsical adults-only royal court filled with kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, the museum is marking its 10th birthday with enchanting childhood dreams of royal fun and games. Celebrants are invited to don cap and crown, grab a cupcake fit for a queen and make merry with Crown Jewel cocktails.

Games, cuisine from Soiree Catering and Events, dancing on a checkerboard floor to the tunes of Yacht Rock Revue and exciting auction items will entice grownups to support the unique child-oriented museum. Past chairs of the board of directors will be honored this year.

Event co-chairs for 2013 are Lee and Shari Rivas. Robert Kamerschen and David McElroy are serving as corporate co-chairs. The nonprofit museum is a “smart place to play,” offering a family friendly space filled with interactive, educational exhibits and programming for children ages 8 and under.

Its mission is to spark imagination and inspire discovery and learning for all children through the power of play. The museum also offers school trips, parties, memberships, field trips, a summer camp and private events.

Museum funding is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of Fulton County Arts and Culture.

Dance enthusiasts are heralding the 2013 Atlanta Ballet Ball Feb. 23 as “A Bold Exquisite Evening” at the St. Regis in Buckhead.

This will mark the 33rd annual benefit for the venerable ballet corps, bringing the community together to support the longest, continuously operating ballet company in America. Special kudos will be given to philanthropist and longtime Atlanta Ballet patron Audrey B. Morgan.

As first-time co-chairs, Ginny Brewer and Patrice Greer are adding their personal flair to the event with sophistication, glamour, whimsy and fun. The night of celebration will include dining, dancing, live and silent auctions, and a special dance performance by company members.

The ball is the largest annual fundraising event for the Atlanta Ballet. Proceeds will go directly to support the operations and initiatives of the organization in bringing professional dance to Atlanta and the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education.

Founded in 1929, Atlanta Ballet’s eclectic repertoire spans ballet history, highlighted by beloved classics and inventive originals. Its unique 84-year span has encompassed three artistic directors: Dorothy Alexander, whose vision brought dance to the South; Robert Barnett, who turned the Atlanta Ballet into a professional company; and currently John McFall, who continues a commitment to educate audiences on the empowering joy of dance.

The Center for Dance Education was added in 1996 to nurture young dancers while providing an outlet for adults to express their creativity. The Atlanta Ballet continues to play a vital role in the city’s cultural growth and revitalization.

The inaugural Society Soiree Feb. 23 at the elegant WhiteHall Estate in Roswell will benefit and salute the expanded facilities of the Atlanta Humane Society in Alpharetta. The social evening will include cocktails, fine cuisine, entertainment and a silent auction with special introductions to adoptable pets.

Members of an energetic host committee introducing the Atlanta and north Fulton communities to the new campus are: Carol and Peter Abreu, Jacque Digieso, Bob Hagan, Mary Lynch, Yasemin Packtor, Diane and Bruce Peoples, Joe Rosentel, Barbee and Greg Taylor and Leslie Wilks.

The society is the oldest private charitable organization in metro Atlanta. Founded in 1873 following a visit to the city by Robert E. Lee, the animal charity was originally chartered to protect women, children and animals and remained a child protection and animal welfare group for 79 years.

The present-day nonprofit was originally located on Marietta Street in Atlanta before moving in the 1930s to the present headquarters location on Howell Mill Road. Now the widely recognized pet adoption center, clinic and educational program provider has a more specific mission to prevent neglect, abuse, cruelty and exploitation of animals and to assure that their interests and well-being are protected by an aware and caring society.

Today an additional Alpharetta campus on Mansell Road expands the mission to the wider north Fulton community. The society never euthanizes because of space or time constraints. Every service or program at the animal charity is made possible through personal and community contributions along with fundraising affairs such as the Society Soiree.

Admirers of the beautiful, gentle and loving golden retriever breed of dogs are invited to share their devotion at the Golden Gala Feb. 23 at Mason Murer Fine Art in Buckhead.

The gala will benefit the unique Adopt a Golden Atlanta volunteer organization dedicated to finding warm, loving, permanent homes for retrievers regardless of medical needs or age. Gala tickets are only available in advance.

The highlight of the evening will be an exclusive viewing of 52 pieces of art by Debra Marlin, renowned artist and author, for purchase. Creator of the “Yellow Dog, the Golden Retrievers of Martha’s Vineyard” collection. Proceeds from book and art sales will go to Adopt a Golden Atlanta.

Four food stations and a signature “Goldentini” cocktail will greet guests as they are introduced to some of the current golden orphans who need help. The Centennial Jazz Trio will perform at the affair, and a silent auction will add to the fundraising effort.

The gala co-chairs are Allison and Justin Farmer with Tony Conway serving as culinary chair.

The nonprofit Adopt a Golden Atlanta is Georgia’s largest and most experienced rescue organization dedicated solely to the breed and is licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture as an animal rescue group.

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